1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus such as a multifunctional peripheral, and in particular to user's operation therefor.
2. Description of Prior Art
Recently, an image processing apparatus has many advanced functions. For example, a multifunctional peripheral has many functions such as scan, print, copy and facsimile functions. Further, because it is a network device, it can be used for various processing via the network. As the functions of such an apparatus become advanced, and as works in an office become sophisticated, a user who operates an image processing apparatus has to select and set many items and their contents before starting a job. Because user's operation becomes more complicated and longer, as mentioned above, it is necessary to improve user's convenience. Then, various approaches are proposed. For example, the operation is stored by providing a program memory function such as a one-touch key to which, for example, an address is registered, an operation having high frequency is displayed with priority, and an operation is selected among the operations recorded in an operation history.
For example, in a facsimile apparatus described in Japanese Patent laid open Publication H6-164796, use frequencies of one-touch keys are counted, and the order of the one-touch keys displayed in a display device is changed according to the order of the use frequencies. Therefore, an operator can easily find a one-touch key used frequently. In a printer described in Japanese Patent laid open Publication 2000-168173, use frequencies of various setting items of print conditions are counted, and the setting items (or print conditions) having high frequencies are displayed as initial setting items. Further, in a scanner described in Japanese Patent laid open Publication 2003-18335, when a series of sequential setting is stored as a group of transmission condition setting in a history thereof. On transmission, the transmission condition setting history is invoked and selected, and user's convenience is improved for setting transmission conditions.
It is to be noted that an input operation for setting items to be executed in an image processing apparatus may have high reusability even though its use frequency is low. However, it has not attracted attention to improve user's convenience for such an operation. For example, in a program memory function such as one-touch key, user's operation can be stored or registered. However, in order to store or register it, a user has to store the operation intentionally, and an operation not stored cannot be used again. Further, in an image processing apparatus which takes only use frequency into account, the above-mentioned operation having low use frequency may not be stored even when the operation is likely to be used again. In such a case, when the user wants to use the setting again, a record on the setting is not stored in the image processing apparatus. Because the use frequency of the operation is low, the user is liable to forget the contents of the operation. In such a case, the user has to repeat the setting again, and the setting may need an elaborate effort. Therefore, in order to improve user's convenience, it is desirable to help a user to use easily an operation having low use frequency, but having high possibility to be used again.